1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outboard motor and a marine vessel including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An outboard motor is an example of a propulsion machine included in amarine vessel. A conventional outboard motor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,291. The outboard motor includes an outboard motor main body that generates a propulsive force by rotating a propeller by means of an engine. The outboard motor main body is supported by a swivel bracket via a steering shift. The swivel bracket is supported by a support bracket via a horizontal shaft. The support bracket is fixed to a hull. The outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket are pivotable up and down about the horizontal shaft with respect to the support bracket.
The outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket are pivoted up and down about the horizontal shaft within a trim range  by a trim cylinder. The outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket are also pivoted up and down about the horizontal shaft within a tilt range, which is larger than the trim range, by a tilt cylinder. The outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket are supported by a trim rod of the trim cylinder and the tilt rod of the tilt cylinder. An inclination angle of the outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket is detected by an angle detection value being input from a trim sensor into a controller.
The tilt rod is coupled to the swivel bracket. On the other hand, the trim rod is not coupled to the swivel bracket and the outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket are put in contact with the trim rod by their own weight. Thus, when the inclination angle of the outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket increases and reaches the tilt range, the supporting of the outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket by the trim rod is released and the outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket are supported only by the tilt rod. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,291, when an engine speed exceeds a speed threshold in a state in which the outboard motor main body and the swivel bracket are tilted up (in a state in which the inclination angle is within the tilt range), the controller makes the engine misfire to reduce the engine speed.